The fast socio-economic changes in HCMC for decades have almost pushed traditional craft villages into oblivion, forcing many artisans to change jobs. However, many high-skilled craftsmen in Phu Binh Parish in District 11 have tried to preserve the 50-year-old traditional lantern making village. 

In Phu Binh Parish on Lac Long Quan Street in District 11 these days, tourists can witness the animated atmosphere at the craft village as artisans are racing against time to finish the last orders for multicolor cellophane plastic paper lanterns with amazing designs for the local market as there are only two weeks left until the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on October 4 or the 15th of the eighth lunar month.

According to veteran artisans in Phu Binh, the making of cellophane plastic paper lanterns there originated in the renowned craft village of Bac Co in Nam Dinh Province as many artisans from the northern province migrated to Saigon, the former name of HCMC, half a century ago and handed down their lantern making craft to the younger generation.

The craft village in Phu Binh Parish has witnessed many ups and downs, but it has still existed and developed until now thanks to people with great passion and devotion to keep the traditional craft intact. 

Nguyen Duc Thang, a 44-year-old man who has devoted nearly 20 years to making cellophane plastic paper lanterns, says the craft was at its peak in the 1990s when it operated at full capacity. 

However, business has been in decline during the past five years given the rising presence of battery-powered lanterns and dirt-cheap lanterns imported from China, pushing many households in the small residential area to give up this occupation.

“Producing a lantern is a painstaking job with numerous processes that require artisans to be patient, meticulous, skillful and hard-working as each product takes them a couple of days or weeks, or even a month to finish,” Thang added.   

Ha Phung, a 44-year-old lantern maker with more than 20 years of experience, says she inherited the cellophane plastic paper lantern making craft from his father at a young age and became the second generation of her family to take over the job. 

She has gradually passed down her lantern making techniques on to her two daughters with an aim to preserve her traditional family business.

Meanwhile, Thanh Tuyen, a 34-year-old artisan who has been making lanterns since the age of nine, explains that this year sees bright prospects as her family has secured plenty of orders to provide around more than 1,000 lanterns for customers in the city and neighboring provinces, with prices starting from VND60,000 (US$2.6) each.

Phu Binh Parish in District 11, HCMC has been known as the cradle of cellophane plastic paper lantern making in the city, with dozens of households struggling to cling to the job and preserve their family tradition.

SGT